Ok, i’m confused, went to see Oncologist yesterday who confirmed DCIS definitely ER+ & PR+ so eligible for drugs trial and will decrease the risk of it recurring. However, today I went to see rads Consultant who said not eligible as pre-menopausal but would discuss at our meeting in January as today’s meeting was just to see how the rads are going.
Does that mean that because i’m pre-menopausal I can’t get on the drugs trial and therefore am at a higher risk of it coming back?
Anyone out there got any advice/been in a similar situation?
Hi, noticed there are no posts for my original comment, is there a bcc representative who would be able to shed some light onto this for me as my next app. isn’t until January
thank you
Hi curlylol,
If you would like to give the helpline here a ring they may be able to help you with your question. Lines open this morning at 9am until 5pm (Mon - Fri) and Sat 9am - 2pm call 0808 800 6000, calls are free.
Hope this helps.
Jo, Facilitator
hi curlylol
could you post your findings from the BCC helpline because I am definately interested in what the result would be. I had DCIS and pagets disease and subsequent mx and im pre menopausal so im always worrying about it coming back!!!
many thanks
deed
x
Me too, it would be appreciated, thanks
Lynn
Hi I dont know if it’s the same trial but
there is a trial called IBIS II – DCIS, which is comparing the hormonal therapy tamoxifen with a different type of hormonal therapy called anastrozole (Arimidex)for post-menopausal women.are you taking tamoxifen ?.I was pre-menopausal and had high grade DCIS and invasive cancer ER+ PR+ 8/8 and was told, regarding the DCIS ,that after surgery and rads it was very unlikely that it would return.
I am also taking tamoxifen.
best wishes Melxx
Posted on behalf of the clinical team
Dear Curlylol,
From your forum post I understand that you are enquiring about the option of participating in a drug trial following your diagnosis of DCIS that was ER+ and PR+. I appreciate that you are looking into decreasing the risk of recurrence.
All cancers are tested after surgery to see if they are hormone sensitive (oestrogen receptor positive or ER+). Cancers that are hormone sensitive have receptors on the cell surface that bind to the female hormone oestrogen which stimulates the cancer cell to grow. Tamoxifen is a hormone therapy drug used to treat oestrogen receptor positive invasive breast cancer, but its benefits in DCIS are much less clear and may not outweigh the side effects. If you want to look at our booklet on Tamoxifen please click on the link below:
breastcancercare.org.uk/upload/pdf/Tamoxifen_Dec_08.pdf
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health suggests that tamoxifen should not be offered for DCIS after breast conserving surgery.
However, there are ongoing trials evaluating the use of hormone therapy in DCIS. You may be referring to the IBIS II DCIS trial as this is comparing tamoxifen with anastrozole for post-menopausal women who have had surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Anaestrozole is a drug that can be used to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women (women who have gone through the menopause/change of life). This is a randomised trial which mean that one group will have tamoxifen and the other group will have anastrozole. You would not know which one you were taking, and neither would the doctors and nurses at the hospital. This is the reason why the trial is only suitable for postmenopausal women. See link below for further information:
Breast Cancer Care has a factsheet on Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). See link below:
breastcancercare.org.uk/upload/pdf/ductal_carcinoma_in_situ_dcis__mar_08_0.pdf
Radiotherapy is usually recommended after breast conserving surgery to reduce the chance of the DCIS coming back in that breast and women are normally offered screening mammograms at regular intervals.
If you would like to discuss any of this further, you are welcome to phone our helpline and speak with one of our experienced nurses or trained helpline workers. The freephone number is 0808 800 6000 (for Text-Relay prefix 18001), Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.
Kind regards,
Information Nurse
Sorry, have just realised I didn’t thank the BCC nurse comments, thank you very much and it answered my questions, the links were brilliant also, hope you other ladies found them useful.
Happy & Healthy New Year to you all
Lorraine xxx